Episode 45

Rosalind laughed softly, as if she had read what was in my eyes.

“I am the living proof right in front of you.”

I had suspected there was a reason for her changed appearance and her cutting off contact with those who knew her.

But I hadn’t imagined that she did it to change her fate, like me.

“I don’t know how different your fate is from mine, so I’ll stop here for today. Come back in a month. I need to confirm what kind of causality I’ll face and whether it’s something I can handle.”

I nodded vigorously.

“I’ll charge you a lot of money.”

Rosalind muttered, giving me a sidelong glance.

“As much as you want. Take as much as you need.”

My heart swelled with emotion.

This was it.

This would be enough.

A sense of relief filled my chest.

It felt like grabbing onto something while falling off a cliff.

After that, Rosalind practically dragged me out and threw me out of the shop.

Whether or not I could change my fate like Rosalind remained uncertain.

But perhaps I could live beyond the age of nineteen.

Even that small possibility was a huge comfort to me.

I was engulfed in that faint hope and waited for the month Rosalind mentioned to pass.

Meanwhile, Andrea’s ball was fast approaching.

As always, I left the choice of my dress entirely to the tailor at the Duke’s residence.

Igon, who had been extremely busy for a while, found some peace recently and leisurely enjoyed dinner after a long time.

During our conversations, it was only natural that the topic of Andrea’s upcoming ball came up.

Igon laughed as I mentioned how the tailor promised to make a kingfisher-themed dress and praised his growing sense of humor.

“The theme of the party is… a masquerade, I heard?”

I nearly spat out the wine I was drinking.

I barely managed to swallow it and wiped my mouth before asking again.

“What?”

“That’s what I heard, but no one told you about it?”

Oh dear, Andrea.

I put my hand to my forehead and groaned.

I remembered how Christina referred to Andrea.

You horned calf on your rear end.

You told me it was just a formal ball.

You said it was an event to find a suitable husband.

If she were in front of me right now, I might have grabbed her by the collar.

No, perhaps this was a prank by the princess who is sponsoring it.

Regardless of whose prank it was, there was no mention of it in the invitation I received.

I hadn’t heard anything about it, but knowing those two, it seemed plausible they would pull such a stunt without a word.

“…I had no idea. I’m so sorry. I’ll make up an excuse right now.”

Even if I didn’t know, Igon was a duke.

Of course, he wasn’t that old, but attending an event like a masquerade ball wasn’t appropriate for his status.

There was a risk of damaging his dignity.

How the gossipers would talk!

If word got out that a duke who occasionally attended royal balls was present at a viscount’s masquerade ball, even I would find it fascinating and gossip about it.

“It’s just three days away. Let it be. Since it’s come to this, we’ll just attend without anyone knowing I’m a duke.”

Igon smiled gently, his eyes curling softly.

I couldn’t tell what he was thinking, but one thing was certain: Andrea was in trouble.

Igon would definitely not behave as we had expected.

I was sure of it.

***

It was the evening of the ball.

My theme, as the tailor suggested, was the kingfisher.

I wore a bright blue mask adorned with sparkling blue jewels like dots around my eyes. The dress had an amber satin front and a back decorated with layers of shimmering blue lace to mimic feathers.

The lace fluttered gracefully and softly with every movement, making me feel truly like a bird.

The tailor’s skills were improving day by day.

Thinking I should give the tailor a generous bonus, I draped a cloak over my dress.

As with all masquerade balls, I couldn’t take off the cloak until I entered the venue.

As I was about to leave, Igon came out to see me off.

He greeted me, brushing back his unkempt hair, with a few buttons of his comfortable shirt left undone.

We had agreed to go together, but he looked like someone who had no intention of attending a ball at all.

He kissed the back of my gloved hand.

“Go ahead.”

“If you can’t make it tonight, I’ll…”

“I’ll be there on time, don’t worry.”

What on earth was he thinking?

I cast a glance filled with worry and doubt at him before boarding the carriage sent by the Riesling family.

He waved casually and nonchalantly as the carriage started moving.

I leaned my head against the carriage’s backrest.

The good cushion and the smell of high-quality leather filled my senses.

Although the carriage sent to the Duke’s residence might have been different from those sent to other families, the ride was quite comfortable.

The ballroom was the Grand Salon in the city.

Renting it must have cost a fortune, but the Riesling viscounty, known for its wealth in the empire, had the support of the princess.

The entrance to the salon was impressive.

It was decorated to look like entering a forest, with vines twining around the entrance.

The floor was covered with a soft teal carpet, and the interior was adorned with flowers and trees.

True to Andrea’s hosting style, the entrance exuded a unique and exotic charm.

The inside of the hall was much noisier than a typical noble gathering.

I handed my cloak to a servant waiting by the entrance and walked in.

Many eyes turned to me as I entered.

Usually, the attention wouldn’t be so blatant, but wearing just a mask seemed to change their attitude significantly.

I approached a servant carrying a tray to get a drink and look for Andrea, when someone suddenly stepped in front of me.

“……”

I took a step back, startled.

I felt slightly uncomfortable with the stranger’s chest so close to me.

“Which lady are you?”

I didn’t want to engage with a clueless novice who didn’t understand personal space.

Ignoring his question, I brushed past him and reached for a drink.

When he persisted in approaching me, I pulled out my fan to maintain distance.

“Miss, I’m not a dangerous person. I just…”

“Sir.”

I took a sip of my drink and continued.

“Please act like a gentleman.”

“Miss, just for a moment, just a moment.”

I turned and walked away.

I frowned as I heard footsteps persistently following me.

When the man grabbed my arm, I was about to turn when someone intervened, striking the man’s wrist with a fan.

The man groaned in pain from the strong hit.

At the same time, I was freed from his grip.

“How rude.”

A familiar voice.

Turning around, I saw a woman dressed entirely in gold.

It was the princess.

…Was her theme a lion?

“You must have studied abroad for a long time. Seeing how poorly you understand the Empire’s language.”

Her elaborate attire showed off her abilities and made it clear she wasn’t an ordinary person.

The young nobleman, lacking manners but with some sense, stepped back hesitantly.

“…I didn’t mean to frighten you. I just wanted to have a word. In any case, I apologize.”

As all cowardly people do, the young man left quickly, leaving behind an excuse that no one cared about.

The princess watched his retreating figure with cold eyes before turning her gaze back to me.

“Rude people like that are everywhere. Sometimes, a sharp rebuke is more effective than ignoring them.”

Though her tone seemed angry, I could tell she was genuinely concerned about me.

“I’m lucky. You stepped in before I had to.”

“Oh, heavens! How could you say that out loud without any subtlety!”

The princess bowed her head and whispered.

I was surprised that she thought her identity wouldn’t be revealed.

As if she wouldn’t be recognized!

“For someone saying that, you came dressed in a way that everyone can recognize.”

“Oh, really… It’s troubling. The tailors at the palace love me too much. I keep telling them to save some fabric and thread, maybe even pocket some money, but they never listen.”

“Are you encouraging embezzlement?”

“That’s not embezzlement, it’s extra compensation.”

I couldn’t help but laugh.

Both the siblings were anything but ordinary, even in their words.

“How did you know it was me?”

“Because you’re wearing the most elegant dress in the entire empire. Such dresses are crafted by the skilled tailor of the Duke’s residence.”

I felt proud even though it wasn’t a compliment for me.

Taking this opportunity, I twirled around in front of the princess, showing off.

“You look like a bird taking flight from the water. It’s truly beautiful. It suits you perfectly.”

The princess sighed in admiration.

I smiled at the compliment but then remembered that she was one of the people who had tricked me into bringing Igon to this masquerade ball.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“What do you mean, why? You tricked me.”

“Um…”

The princess averted her eyes, rolling them as if trying to avoid my gaze.

“I’m sorry, but I was curious.”

“Curious about what?”

“I thought if I put you two together, your feelings might become clearer.”

“You two…?”

A sense of unease washed over me.

What on earth had she been planning all this time while being so quiet?

The princess smiled slyly, lifting the corners of her mouth.

I realized her gaze was fixed on someone behind me.

Feeling a surge of foreboding, I followed her eyes and turned around.

Oh my.

You horned calves, you foals.